Material forming apparatus



Nov. 24, 1931. C, E NELSON 1,833,656

MATRIAL FORMING APPARATUS c. E. NELSON 1,833,656

MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Nov. 24, 1931.

Fled Feb. l0. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lines 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES EDWINNELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N.r Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MATERIALFORMING APPARATUS AppIcation filed February 10, 1928. Serial No.253,331.

` This invention relatesto material forming apparatus, and moreparticularly to a ma.-

l rying interconnecting members having the same contour as the part tobe formed, which feed the blanks from the bottom of aimagazine along atable through the forming rolls and deposit thek formed parts in apredetermined position upon a receiving rodv for stacking. Y V L @therobjects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with ythe accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of rotary formingrolls showing'in association therewith an endless chain feeding deviceembodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on lines 2 2 of Fig. 1, with partsbroken away to show the supporting and guiding mechamsm;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 2;V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on Fig. 5 is an enlargedperspective view of a part after passing through the forming rolls, and

Fig. 6 is a modifi-,cation of the invention showing the feeding deviceadapted to feed Vthe parts through two sets of forming rolls and anapparatus for straightening the formed parts. Y f

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals designate similarparts in the several views, formingirolls 10 and 11 are rotatablyysupported in journal boxes 12-12 2 and 17-17 respectively which areslidably mounted in slots 13-13 in side frames 14-14. These verticalside frames are securely fastened to a base 15; The forming rolls areprevented from contacting when idle by springs -20 interposed betweenthe up r and lower journal boxes 12-12, Til-1%. The lower journal boxesrest upon the frame and the upper journal boxes are retained inoperative forming position by the flat surface of a T-shaped clamp 21pressing against a slightly convex surface 22 of a member 23 interposedbetween the T-shaped member and the journal boxes which has arectangular transverse slot 26 thereby forming two depending parts 27 27These depending parts 27-27 bear upon the upper journal box 12, and withthe assistance of the convex surface 22 they are adapted to distributethe pressure directly over the solid portions of the journal box inorder to protect a circular bearing surface 28 therein from distortion.vLugs 24-24 of the T-shaped clamp 21 have suitable openings tween therolls 10 and 1l can be obtained.

For the purpose of providing feeding means for supporting the parts tobe worked in alignment with the top surface of the lower forming rollll, the upper peripheries of sprocketA wheels 30-30 and 31-31 aremounted in horizontal alignment on either side thereof and are rigidlysecured to rotatable shafts 32-33 which are suitably journaled in theframes 14-14 To eifect the rotation of the sprocket wheels 31-31, thesupporting shaft 32 extends beyond the right hand frame 14 and isprovided with a spur gear 34 which is rigidly fastened to the shaft.This gear 34 meshes with an idler gear 38 which in turn meshes with asimilar gear 39 and gear' 40 fixed to a reduced end of the driven shaft41. The lower forming roll 1l is secured by a key 42 to the power shaft41, to which power from any suitable source may be applied for thepurpose of driving the apparatus. The idler gear 39 meshes with a gear43 which is'fastened to a shaft 44 supporting the upper forming roll 10.The idler gears 38 and 39 are mounted on a plate 45 which is madeadjustable as-to position by means of a slot 46. A screw 47 threadedinto the frame 14 and passing through the slot 46 is adapted to yclampand hold the plate in operating position so thatthe idler gears mayproperly mesh with their associated gears.y

Thus, by the instrumentality of the transmission Vdescribed'it will bemanifest that power will be imparted from the single power shaft 41 tothe rolls 10 and 11 and sprockets 31-31 to cause the rolls and theendless sprocket chains 52-52 to move in the direction indi-` tangularplates 62 which-are in `turn rigidly Y fastened to t-he side frames 14by screws 63.

The magazine is equipped on its underside with a pair ofspaced supportstrips 64-64 (see Fig. 3) which hold the blanksin the magazine andpermit a raised portion 65 of the transverse member 53 to pass therebe-Ytweenand removethe bot-tom blank from ythe Vmaga-zine.

Interposed between the magazine and the vforming rolls, a pair of guideVlingers 68 for guiding the blanks into the rolls are pivoted at 69 in alip portion 70 of the magazine structure. The guide lingers 68 aremaintained in contact with the table 56 by means Of compression springs71 which are retained between projections 72 of the magazineY 55 and thetop surfaces lof the fingers. This construction permits the transversefeed members 53 to ride under the guide lingers as these members 53 feedblanks through the Y forming rolls.

On the discharge side of the forming rolls, a table 76 1s secured to theframes 14 in a vsimilanmanner as previously describedA for Vthe table 56located on the feed side of the Asame rolls. This table 76 serves asasupport yfor 'the formed parts as they issue from the forming'rolls.The table is cut out at 77 as shown in Fig. .3 to permit the elevatedperiphery of the roll 11 to pass; the tableis thereby kept very closetothe rolls to assure the formed parts being properly guided toward theystacking means which will presently be fully described.

The stacking means comprises a stacking rod 7 8 which 1s secured at adesired angle to a standard 79 fastened to a cross-plate 82 iiXed'to theframes 14. The stacking rod 7 8 is so positioned that its curved endterminates at the edge of the 'table 76 and clears the transversemembers 53 as they push the formed parts off of the table on to the rodand continuously pass around the sprockets 31. The formed parts have theSame contour as part 88 shown in Fig. 5 and it will be seen that theyare readily engaged by the stacking rod 78. Y Y K 'In the operation of`the apparatusithe transverse feed members "53 of the revolving chains 52pass under the magazine 55 and each, feed member 53 removes a bot-tomblank 54 therefrom by means of the raised portion 65; the blanks areguided along the table 56 by theguidefmgers 68 as soon as they leave themagazine anduntil they are engaged by the forming rolls 10-1'1. As thefeed members 53 engage the guide fingers 68 they are raised against thecompression of the springs' 71 and as soon as one feed member passes theguide lingers snap back into position to guide the next blank as itissues from the magazine. The transverse feed member, having the-sameshape as the periphery of the forming rolls,V

passes through the rolls and advances the formed part en the table 7 6and from there discharges the parten tothe stacking rod 78.

A modified Aform of the linvention is de- .v lineated in Fig. 6 whereintransverse feed' members 53 attached to the sprocket chains 52-52 areadapted to carry blanks through forming rollslO-ll, another set offormingor stamping rolls 91-92 and-straightening rolls 93 which haveperipheries of the same shape as the formed part, similar to the rollslO--ll shown in Fig. 1.` Guide fingers 94-.94 and 95-95 are placedrespectively after guide rolls 10-11 and-rolls 91- 92 to guide the partsfrom one forming operation to the next. These guide fingers are of thesame construction as previously described of fingers 68-68. The upperforming roll 91 an d the upper rolls of the straightening mechanism 93are supported and made adjustable in a manner similar to that alreadydescribed for roll 10. rThe moving elements are driven from the powershaft 41 by suitable gearing(not shown). 'The above describedarrangement eXpedites the rapidV working of blanks in a succession offormmg operations, thereby economically producing a finished part in onehandling opera- .ing means provided with forming surfaces,

Aa magazine containing parts to be formed,

and means having substantially the same contour as the forming surfacesof said means for conveying a part from the magazine to a point Where itis acted on by the forming means.

2. In a material working apparatus, a plurality of forming means forsuccessively forming a blank of material, straightening rolls havingperipheries of the same shape as the formed part, and means having thesame contour as the formed part of the blank for carrying the blankthrough the above mentioned means successively.

8. In a material Working apparatus, a plurality of forming means forsuccessively forming a blank of material, means for guidy ing the blankin thev successive operations,

rolls having peripheriesof the same shape as the formed part forstraightening said part, and means having the same contour as the formedpart for carrying the blank through the above mentioned means.

4. In a material working apparatus having means provided with formingsurfaces, an endless chain conveyor having connecting members of thesame contour as the formking surfaces, commonv means for driving thematerial workingl apparatus and the conveyor, a receiving means, andmeans for delivering the formed part in a predetermined position to thereceiving means.

5'. In a material Working apparatus hav- 'ing forming rolls, a pluralityof endless chains, and a plurality ofspaced members having the samecontour as the forming surfaces of the forming rolls and attached to theendless chains for carrying parts to be formed through the formingrolls.

6. In a material Working apparatus having means provided with formingsurfaces, a magazine for holding parts to be formed, a plurality ofendless chains interconnected b v members having the same contour as theforming surfaces for removing a part from the magazine, and means fordriving the chains to carry the parts to be formed at predeterminedintervals through the material working apparatus.

7 In a material Working apparatus, forming rolls, a magazine for holdingparts to be formed, a pair of endless chains adapted to i pass betweenthe forming rolls, bars having the same contour as the formed portion ofthe part for maintaining the endless chains in spaced relationship andfor removing a part from the magazine to carry it through the formingrolls, means for driving the endless chains, a receiver, and means fordelivering the formed parts in a predetermined position to the receiverfor stacking. t

8. In a material Working apparatus having means provided with formingsurfaces, a magazine containing parts to be formed, a

guide for directing a part in proper position to the forming surfaces,and means having the same contour as the forming surfaces of said meansfor conveying a part therethrough.

9. In a material working apparatus having means provided with formingsurfaces, a magazine containing parts to be formed, a table forsupporting the parts as they leave the magazine, means having the samecontour as the forming surfaces for feeding a part therethrough, a guidefinger pivoted nearest the point of feeding for directing a part inproper position through the forming surfaces, and a spring formaintaining the finger in contact with the table and permitting thefeeding means to ride under the finger as said feeding means forces thepart through the forming surfaces.

10. In an apparatus for forming blanks, a pair of cooperating formingrolls adapted to impart a predetermined cross-sectional shape to a flatblank passed therebetween, an advancing member for the blanks having across-sectional shape identical to that of the formed blanks, and meansfor passing the advancing member between the rolls.

ll. In an apparatus for forming flat blanks, a pair of cooperatingforming rolls having complementary forming surfaces shaped as surfacesof rotation with their radii varying irregularly from one end of therolls to the other, an advancing member for the blanks shaped to passbetween the rolls, and means for advancing the advancing member betweenthe rolls to feed a blank to the rolls.

l2. In an apparatus for forming blanks, a pair of cooperating rollshaving forming surfaces so shaped that the contiguous portions of theforming surfaces are equidistant at all points, an advancing member forthe blanks shaped to pass between the rolls and means for advancing theadvancing member between the rolls to feed a blank to the rolls.

13. In an apparatus for forming blanks, a pair of cooperating rollshaving irregular complementary forming surfaces so shaped that thecontiguous portions of the forming surfaces are equidistant at allpoints, a pair of endless conveyors positioned at opposite ends of theforming surfaces, and an advancing member carried by said conveyors andshaped to pass between the rolls.

let. In an apparatus for forming blanks, a pair of cooperating rollshaving irregular complementary forming surfaces so shaped that thecontiguous portions of the forming surfaces are equidistant at allpoints, a pair of spaced conveyors positioned at opposite ends of theforming surfaces, an advancing member carried by the conveyors andshaped to pass between the rolls, and means posy tioned forwardly of therolls fon removing uohe formed blanks from the advancing mem- In witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe Y my name this 26 day of January A. D.1928.

- CHARLES EDWIN NELSON.

